This invention relates to a marking light, and more specifically to an attaching-position indicator for use with a buttoning apparatus.
Furnishing garments and the like with snap type buttons, by securing the stud or socket pieces in place with the aid of pronged or eyelet type backing members, has been performed by snap buttoning apparatuses. The equipment generally comprises an upper attaching die unit for holding each of the stud or socket pieces and a lower attaching die unit holding each pronged or eyelet piece. The snap buttoning operation proceeds in a cycle of properly positioning one side of an article of garment or the like in the space between the two attaching die units and then pressing either unit against the other with the button piece in between.
For the snap buttoning operation an optical pointer is commonly used to ensure exact attachment of each snap type button to a preselected point of the garment or the like. The optical pointer typically consists of a cylindrical member provided with a light source and a light passage formed inside. A beam of light from the source is conducted out of a tiny hole in the front end portion of the cylindrical member to indicate a point to be buttoned of a garment or the like held in place for the buttoning apparatus.
The optical pointer has been variously designed to avoid hampering the smooth forced contact between the two attaching die units in the clinching cycles during buttoning operation
Japanese Utility Model Application No. 200487/1983, filed Dec. 29, 1983 (equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 1,605,150 issued Aug. 12, 1986 to Ikehare) for example, discloses an attaching-position indicator integrally secured to a pusher of a buttoning apparatus that feeds each stud or socket piece or each eyelet or pronged member of a button, forcing it horizontally into an upper or lower die. In the attaching-position indicator the optical pointer protrudes beyond the front end of the pusher and, when the pusher has completed its advance, the pointer end is positioned above the center of the buttoning point.
A similar construction is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 12403/1976, filed Apr. 19, 1976, with optical pointers of such construction it is necessary to form the optical pointer to a restricted shape, say elongate or slender, to suit the region where it is installed, because the region is restricted by the extension of the optical pointer end beyond the center of the buttoning point whereas the backstroke of the pusher remains unchanged. Since the return speed of the pusher is also constant, the front end position of the optical pointer must be carefully chosen with respect to the vertical position between the two attaching dies lest it contact the descending upper die. These limitations render it difficult to determine the optimum location for mounting the attaching-position indicator in the buttoning apparatus. A further disadvantage is that the optimum location so found will necessitate some additional improvement in the buttoning apparatus. Moreover, the attaching-position indicators of the construction described have the danger of destroying the optical pointer, when the front end of the pointer fails to recede for some reason, by the strike of the descending upper die against the pointer end and by consequent exertion of an excessive force on the pointer.
As noted above, the optical pointer members of the prior art usually comprise a tubular member having a built-in light source and a light passage formed inside to conduct a beam of light from the source. The front end portion of the tubular member has a tiny hole on the underside through which the beam of light from the internal light passage is emitted downwardly.
Electric wires, for example, vinyl-covered ones, are used as parts for current supply to the light source. These wires either connect source terminals provided on the buttoning apparatus body and on the optical pointer member or are directly drawn in through holes formed in the pointer member to the light source.
A problem common to the wire parts is that the fatigue of the vinyl coat and the wire core is accelerated by the repetition of straining and stretching due to the repeated backward and forward movements of the optical pointer member with respect to the upper attaching die as described above. Another problem is the possibility of the operator inadvertently touching the wires located in the proximities of complex mechanical parts. This can apply an excessive force to the wires, sometimes such as to break them easily.